Saying she knows his heart and that he’ll be a great leader for Florida, Attorney General Pam Bondi endorsed Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam to be Florida’s next governor during a Thursday campaign event in Orlando.

“I know him personally, he has become like family to me. I know his wife, his kids, I know his heart. He is a great human being and he cares about that state of Florida,” said Bondi. “He knows Florida inside and out and he will do everything he can when he is Governor to take care of Floridians and protect our great state. I am thrilled to be here supporting our next Governor of the State of Florida.”

Bondi, a close supporter of Donald Trump is breaking with the President by endorsing Putnam. Trump is backing Congressman Ron DeSantis. Bondi said it came down to a personal relationship in deciding to back Putnam. The two have served on the Florida Cabinet together for seven and a half years.

“I’m so honored to be here with my friend, the Attorney General, who has put Floridians’ public safety first every single day on the job,” Putnam said. “As our Attorney General, she has cleaned up our pill mills, she’s taking on the opioid manufacturers, she’s protecting our children, she’s bringing an end to human trafficking in our state, she puts bad guys behind bars and most importantly she is my dear friend.”

It’s been a rough month for Putnam. Once the front runner for the Republican nomination, Commissioner Putnam has seen a double-digit lead in the polls erased after President Trump endorsed a DeSantis. Two of the polls released this week show DeSantis with his own double-digit lead. Pam Bondi’s endorsement may help stop Putnam’s free fall. She’s one of the most popular Republicans in Florida. However there’s growing speculation that President Trump is coming to the state at the end of July to campaign for DeSantis, giving the Northeast Florida Congressman another boost just before the August 28 GOP primary.